Dec 30 2008
Feeling Guilty About The Demise of Bookstores.
Since I have been off work I find I have a lot more time to do other things such as blogging and writing articles. I also read more. When I first started this blog one of the tips I received was that in order to write well one must read, read, read. I bring this up because in my reading yesterday I came across an article in which the author was feeling guilty about the demise of bookstores. It seems that with the economy worsening many people are turning to online suppliers such as Amazon who sell books for less than one can get in a bookstore. The author of the article goes on to explain how he recently went online to purchase a book for $0.25. He was feeling guilty because he would have paid much more in a bookstore for this same book.
I must state here that I do love to read, but throughout the years I have started to bargain hunt for books myself. Most of the time I feel that books are over priced in bookstores. That is just my opinion. What I would like to know is whether or not we should feel guilty about bookstores closing. It would seem to me that if you want to remain in business than you will do whatever it takes to make that happen. I know it is expensive to run a store and to get the product in, but if you are overpricing yourself out of business should I feel guilty about that.
Perhaps publishers and other powers that be should have been watching more closely and come up with a plan to cut production costs of books so that the bookstores could have competed with online booksellers.
The economy is bad and people are doing whatever they can to keep going. If we need to bargain hunt for items than so be it. It is not my fault that prices in bookstores are higher than online suppliers. If I can get a deal online why not do it guilt free.
Both you and the author of the article can stop feeling guilty. The decline of brick and mortar book stores has been in progress for several decades. It has absolutely nothing to do with the current economy. If anything is responsible, it’s the internet, along with decreasing literacy.
Book stores have never been the sole source for readers. One might just as well feel guilty for buying books at yard sales, or for using the public library. Technologies change, and business has to change along with them.
I would have to say that I agree with you. It’s sad on one hand that book stores are not doing so well now and may have to close, but that is not our fault. They should be more competitive with online retailers. There is always going to be a cheaper way of getting anything you want. I don’t think book stores are just going to up and completely disappear anytime soon either. There will still be some around, so people shouldn’t be so worried.
I dont feel guilty about the state of any retail stores out there.
I love reading, always have a book by my side but I must admit, I havent bought that many new books. I get my books at the Church where I can buy secondhand books for very cheap. It also helps the community, so no guilt there.
The bookstores will need to adjust and go with the flow or die a slow death.
Technology is here to stay and Id rather concentrate on the good sides rather than the bad sides of it.